The World’s Best Selling

Anti-Corrosion Film is now 100% Degradable

4119 White Bear ParkwaySt Paul, MN 55110 USA800-4-CORTECinfo@cortecvci.com

VpCI®-126 Blue BIO Maintains the Superior Mechanical and Physical Properties of the Original Highest level of corrosion protection

available ISO 9001 and 14001 certified Non-toxic FDA approved Not nitrite based

Plus it’s 100% Degradable Once disposed, VpCI®-126 Blue Bio

degrades to water and carbon dioxide within 9 to 60 months.

Degrades completely once exposed to organic material common in most disposal environments

VpCI®-126 Blue Bio is the only corrosion-inhibiting degradable film in the world

Proven VpCI® Anti-corrosion Technology Protects ferrous and non-ferrous

metals Prevents rust, tarnish, staining,

white rust, oxidation Protects against humidity, corrosive

contaminants and vapors, salt, condensation, moisture

No additional corrosion protection is necessary

Safe to use even with sensitive electronic equipment

2-5 years of corrosion protection

Saves Time, Money Eliminates many costly shipping

tariffs and disposal fees Metal products require no

special preparation Does not require removal after

shipping or storage Products are immediately

available for use Greatly reduces labor costs

And, it’s Fully Customizable Custom blended to meet specific

customer needs Heat sealable and can be used with

all types of manual and automated heat-seal equipment

Variety of widths and gauges available

Available as: sheeting reinforced film, Zip-Lock and Auto-Bags, gusseted liners, bags-on-a-roll, perforated sheeting, coil covers, shrink film, tubing

Anti-static (ESD) and fire retardant (FR)

Learn More at www.cortecvci.com

Introducing VpCI®-126 Blue BIO patented

Editorial Contact: Tomas Gardebring tomas@blueleopard.netBlue Leopard: (952) 921-4945

Company Contact: Matt Munn matt@CortecVCI.comCortec® Corporation: (651) 429-1100 Ext 128

Technical Contact: Bob Boyle bboyle@CortecVCI.comCortec® Corporation: (651) 429-1100 Ext 208

Attention: New Product Editor

January 22, 2004NEW PRODUCT RELEASE

Advanced Anti-Corrosion Packaging Film Now 100% Degradable

The world’s most advanced and widely utilized packaging films (83 countries), Cortec®

VpCI®-126 Blue is now available in a 100% Degradable version. Conventional PackagingPE film can take centuries to degrade if ever. In contrast, when 126 BIO film comes intocontact with organic materials during disposal, its microbial activators start the process ofdegrading the film into basic organic elements such as water and carbon dioxide. VpCI®

126 BIO degrades in less than five (5) years, is recyclable, and meets MIL-B-22019-Cand MIL-B-22020-C.

The new VpCI®-126 BIO version is very competitively priced to allow companies using older technology films toeasily upgrade to safer and more effective packaging. Compared to conventional anti-corrosion packaging films,the new BIO version is 25% stronger in tear and puncture resistance, elongation, and tensile strength. Using hightechnology film blends, it provides more effective protection than vacuum pack with desiccant.

The Patented Cortec® VpCI®-126 BIO Film employs the most advanced technology available for anti-corrosionpackaging. Unlike older films that use hazardous and toxic chemistry, 126 BIO is non-toxic, FDA approved, anddoes not contain nitrite-based inhibitors. With Cortec® Green Technology, metal products receive cleanprotection. 126 BIO eliminates the costs of rust-preventative fluids, coatings, grease and the labor used intraditional methods of rust protection. The film provides effective corrosion protection for both ferrous andnonferrous metals during interim processing, shipment, and long term storage.

Protection is easy. Simply package the part with 126 BIO and parts will remaincorrosion-free for up to five (5) years. No special techniques or proprietaryequipment are required. Normal manual and existing automated equipment canbe used for packaging. The translucent BIO film allows visual inspection ofparts without opening the package. Because parts receive clean protection,they are ready for immediate use. Simply open the package and install the part.No cleaning or degreasing is required, again saving chemical and labor costs.

Cortec® VpCI®-126 BIO Film provides multi-metal protection againsthumidity, corrosive gases and atmospheres that easily penetrate traditionalpackaging methods. It also protects against salt, condensation and moisture.It’s advanced Cortec® VpCI® technology prevents all types of corrosionincluding rust, tarnish, staining, white rust and oxidation.

Photos: High-resolution photos of Cortec® VpCI 126 BIO film and bags available fordownload at: http://www.blueleopard.net/cortecdownload/126BIO

Company Description: Cortec® Corporation, a pioneer in environmentally friendly packaging, metalworking, cleaning, water treatmentand metal protection technologies, is located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. ISO 9001 and 14001 Certified, they manufacture over 300products in five plants located in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Cortec is a global supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly specialtychemicals, plastics and coated papers.

Cortec Website: www.CortecVCI.com Phone: 1-800-426-7832 FAX: (651) 429-1122

- End -

Photo depicts part packaged in plainPE film (left) and part protected withCortec® VpCI® 126 BIO (right).

Degradable 126 BIO

HOUSEHOLD ORGANICWASTE COLLECTIONSteven Cartlidge considers the pros and cons of degradable and biodegradable bags inwaste collection.

The multiple varieties ofdegradable and biodegradablefilms and bags that arecommercially available can

cause private and public organisationssignificant problems when decidingon which best suits their costrequirements and performanceexpectations. In this article, we lookat three areas that are increasingawareness of these products:chemical composition; degradability/biodegradabilty/compostability; andproduct performance.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

There are three classes of product:100 per cent chemical (derivedfrom petroleum oil), 100 per centbiodegradable (derived from annuallyrenewable cultivated resources) and amixture of both.

The petroleum-based polyethylene(PE) plastic bags have been used fordecades, and this class of productsets the performance standards bywhich we judge new technologies, i.e.tear resistance versus film thicknessversus cost. By adding a chemicaldegradation catalyst derived frompetroleum oil to a PE plastic, anothertype of petroleum oil-based plasticis created.

Technologies supported by cultivatingplant life include starch, polyester,polyalcohol and paper. These bio-basedproducts primarily use organic sustainableraw materials in their manufacture,meaning that the raw materials can beeasily renewed, time after time. A mixedtechnology is, for example, a physicalmixture of PE and starch.

Steven CartlidgeLake Chemicals and Minerals Ltd

Biodegradation of bio-polyester films over six weeks. From three to six months, dependingon composting conditions, following contact with organic waste the bio-film completelydisappears. The rate of biodegradation is the same as that of common garden compost

These three classes of product havean environmental impact from cradleto grave that is beyond the scope ofthis article. The reason for promoting100 per cent biodegradable technologyis simply the ability to process the used100 per cent biodegradable films andbags in a natural composting processwith no harm to the environmentand in doing so remove the massiveproblem of 'white plastic waste'.

To take commercial advantage of thebenefits of 100 per cent biodegradabletechnology, the work processesapplied today for using, collecting anddisposing of plastic must be changed.For example, costs of processes suchas collecting waste plastic for disposal,landfill charges and cleaning wasteplastic prior to recycling must be offsetagainst the higher price of new 100per cent biodegradable technology.

DEGRADABILITY,BIODEGRADABILITY ANDCOMPOSTABILITY

Plastic derived from petroleum oilwill not degrade significantly, to theextent that after decades in landfill,the original article is still recognisable.Add a chemical degradation catalystand the petroleum-derived plastic willdegrade by chemical means, formingsmall bits of plastic that cannot bematched to the original article. Whenused in a composting process, thischemical catalyst plastic is everpresent and is eventually deposited onopen land as another form of landfill.

Plastic derived from 100 per centbiologically sustainable resourceshas the benefit that it biodegradesin a composting process, makingwater and carbon dioxide with no

January 2004 WASTES MANAGEMENT 21

Filling a bio-polyester bag

residue. Although paper belongs inthis category, the lifecycle for a cradle-to-grave process involving trees isa discussion point, not to mentionthe significant chemical processingnecessary to manufacture the paper.

Plant-based polyester and starchtechnologies have been certifiedto European, American andJapanese standards for 100 per centbiodegradability, including groundwater approval for the compost madewith them. These technologies canbe trusted as meeting the standardof 100 per cent biodegradabilityand customers should ask to see therelevant European test certificates(DIN 54 900 (composting process)and DIN 38412 Part 30 (ground watercontamination)) from suppliers.

More importantly, the starch andpolyester technologies perform closestto our expectations of a plastic filmand bag product.

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE

In like-for-like comparisons,certain 100 per cent biodegradableplastic technologies have a higherperformance than the petroleum oil-derived plastics and some do not.The clear message to users is not topre-judge the technology before it isused in a practical application. Starchtechnology was first to market, andmost commercial experience fromthe collection of organic waste from

Garden compost is often very dense

households and gardens indicatesthat the starch technology has yet tobe proven. For example, a number ofstarch films have suffered from waterabsorption causing lower mechanicalstrength.

The physical performance of 100per cent biodegradable polyestertechnology is closer to that of acceptedPE products and many starch productscurrently sold are mixed with bio-polyester to improve mechanicalintegrity. The bags used to dispose oforganic household and garden wastemust be able to carry a minimumweight and avoid tearing when piercedwith rose bush cuttings. The bio-polyester bags meet these performancecriteria at a lower film thicknesscompared with starch bags.

A significant performance criterionis the ability to fill the bag and leaveit for collection on the kerbside forup to two weeks in urban regions andup to four weeks in rural regions. This'useful life' property is important sincethe ability to collect biodegradablematerial every two weeks is less costlythan weekly collections.

In combination with the collectionfrequency and useful life, the sizeof the bag and its filled weight areextremely important. Experience tellsthat the standard black householdwaste collection bags are filled with somuch bulky packaging materials thattheir weight-to-size ratio is a minorissue.

Kerbside collection point

In comparison, much of the organicwaste from gardens is very dense(wet leaves or grass cuttings) and theroute that is finding most success is tosupply householders with bio-bags thathold up to 15kg of denser garden orfood waste. The householder can useas many of the bags as are needed forthe job in hand. An appropriate bagcapacity can also prevent householdersinadvertently over-filling and havingproblems carrying it.

Once the bio-bags have beenin contact with organic waste thebiodegradation process starts, and100 per cent biodegradation willbe achieved in three to six months,depending on the composting process.

COMMERCIAL APPLICATION

Councils rely on the compostingcompanies they work with to redefinethe waste collection and disposalworkflow when using bio-bags.An alliance of supplier (providingtechnical product information), thecomposting company (carrying outthe work) and the council (responsiblefor waste collection and disposal) isessential to create a commerciallyviable solution to the collection oforganic waste.

Successful councils have identifiedthe collection and disposal of organicwaste from households as a processthat requires separate management.One solution is the use of bio-bags.

22 WASTES MANAGEMENT January 2004

Writing a tender proposalfor a mixture of standard PEbags that includes 100 percent biodegradable bags asa side issue has proven to beunsuccessful.

Innovative local authoritieshave created manned temporarycollection points for householdersto deposit their organic waste,and this is one example ofhow the cost of collection canbe reduced. However, thishighlights the real need foreducating the public. Successfullocal authorities begin organicwaste collection campaignsby using all opportunitiesto highlight the benefits tohouseholders, including leaflets,local newspaper interviews,surveys and relevant informationprinted on the bio-bag. Instructing thehouseholder on what to send and notto send for composting is critical to thesuccess of the entire process.

The ultimate product of thecomposting process is high quality

compost, free of petroleum-derivedplastic waste that is an income streamfor the local authority. No matter whatthe eventual outcome of cradle-to-grave analyses, the use of 100 percent biodegradable plastic instantlyremoves society's current problems

of plastic waste disposal andrecycling.

The example of householdorganic waste collection is thefirst of many applications of 100per cent biodegradable filmsand bags in waste managementcovering the public, agriculturaland industrial sectors. A numberof ongoing trials across sectorsare demonstrating the true valueof 100 per cent biodegradablepolyester products.

We hope that the informationcontained in this article is helpfulto gain a better understandingof biodegradable films, and thatthis will assist in finding the rightpartners and making informed andeducated purchasing decisions.

•Brian Coles, Karen Harvey, Charles

McHugh, and Steven Cartlidge oftechnical distribution specialist LakeChemicals and Minerals Ltd are promotingenvironmentally acceptable technologies.For more information on the issuesdeveloped in this article please contact:t: +44 (0)1527 830459e: lake@lakecm.co.uk

100% BIODEGRADABLEANNUALLY RENEWABLE BIOBASED POLYESTERCERTIFIED DIN CERTCO AND DIN V 54 900 FOR COMPOSTING

REDUCE PACKAGINGDISPOSAL COSTS

STREAMLINE YOURCOMPOSTING PROCESS

UNLIMITED SHELF LIFE4 WEEK KERBLIFE

GONE AFTER 3 TO 6 MONTHS

STRONG EVEN WITH HOT WETCOMPOSTABLES

KERBSIDE COLLECTION - RESTAURANTSSCHOOLS -AGRICULTURE - HORTICULTURE

FOOD AND SPECIALITY PACKAGING

EXPERTS ON BIODEGRADABLE TECHNOLOGIES HELPING TO SOLVEORGANIC WASTE AND PACKAGING DISPOSAL PROBLEMS

TEL: 01527 830 459 E-MAIL: LAKE@LAKECM.CO.UK

January 2004 WASTES MANAGEMENT 23